Sterling will turn 18 in a week and talks between the club and player’s agent is still underway regarding his first full professional contract. According to rumours, the talks between both the parties have hit a stumbling block over the expected salary.

Liverpool’s present wage structure doesn’t allow them to pay over £20,000-a-week to young players like Sterling. But the winger’s agent is pushing Liverpool to break their wage structure and offer him a higher package in order to recognize his substantial growth this season.

Sterling recently won his first senior England cap in a friendly against Sweden after impressing this season with Liverpool.

Due to Liverpool’s lack of squad depth, Brendan Rodgers has shown a lot of faith in youngsters like Sterling and Suso. In fact they have managed to keep out much more established internationals from the starting line-up. But Rodgers feels that although Sterling has shown immense potential, he is yet to achieve anything substantive.

The Liverpool manager insisted it would be ‘foolish’ on Sterling’s part if he refrains from committing to a club like Liverpool.

“But this is Liverpool Football Club. If you are 17 years of age and you are playing regularly you would be very foolish not to commit yourself very quickly.

“I am confident it is something that will be sorted out very soon, I think it is important for the club that we sign our young talents.

“I think it is even more important for Raheem. This is a club that is going to give young players and opportunity. He has played more games than he could have dreamed of this season, both in the Premier League and the Europa League.

“Liverpool Football Club has given him the chance to become a full international player. So I would think if I am Raheem Sterling and his agents I would look to tie it up very quickly.”

According to reports in the Mirror, these stern words from Rodgers haven’t gone down too well with Sterling’s advisers They have claimed that Sterling is not ‘greedy’ and rubbished claims that the winger has asked for £50,000-a-week salary.

It has also been claimed that despite two meetings with Liverpool managing director Ian Ayre, Sterling is yet to receive any offer from the club.

Sterling’s performance has caught the attentions of many clubs across England and if Liverpool fail to tie him up with a long-term contract, they will risk losing him to their rivals.

While the truth behind Sterling’s demand is yet to be verified, this is a pertaining issue that every club faces with young and talent players. Players do hold clubs for ransom now a days – if you are not ready to pay up, plenty of others will.

This is exactly the kind of player that a performance-based contract was made for. Agree to the low base salary that Rodgers wants, but for every goal, assist, minute, and international cap, the kid gets a modest bonus. Then the following year, his base salary moves up to the average between the actual earnings and the former base salary. If he keeps improving, he’ll deserve every penny he claims he’s worth, but if he falls out of favor and collects splinters on the bench, he’ll be paid a value more in line with what LP has historically paid inexperienced professionals in transition from the youth team to the senior squad.